Abhayadana, Abhayadāna, Abhaya-dana: 12 definitions
Introduction:
Abhayadana means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, Marathi. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationAbhayadāna (अभयदान) refers to the “gift of freedom from fear”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.5.2 (“The Prayer of the gods).—Accordingly, as the Gods eulogized Śiva: “[...] Among the sense-organs you are the mind; among the charitable gifts you are the gift of freedom from fear (abhayadāna) [dānānāmabhayaṃ bhavān]; among the sanctifying and life-giving agents you are considered the waters. Among all acquisitions you are the acquisition of sons; among those with velocity you are the wind; among the routine sacred rites you are the Sandhyā worship. [...]”.
The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: academia.edu: A Study and Translation of the GaganagañjaparipṛcchāAbhayadāna (अभयदान) refers to a group of Tathāgatas, according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly: “[...] The Bodhisattva Gaganagañja said: ‘Sons of good family, you should conceive the incomparable complete awakening, in this way, you can practice what is benefit for yourselves and for others’. Thus addressed, they generated the thought of incomparable complete awakening, and offered a hundred thousand calico clothes to the Bodhisattva Gaganagañja. Then, saying ‘Friends, let us also offer this calico clothes to the Lord’, all those offered calico clothes for the body of the Lord. Thereupon the Lord prophesied: ‘After incalculable aeons, when you achieved the way of the dharma which are wings of awakening, all of you will appear in this world as the Tathāgatas called Abhayadāna”.
Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Source: archive.org: TrisastisalakapurusacaritraAbhayadāna (अभयदान) refers to the “gift of fearlessness” and represents one of the three types of dāna (liberality), according to chapter 1.1 [ādīśvara-caritra] of Hemacandra’s 11th century Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra: an ancient Sanskrit epic poem narrating the history and legends of sixty-three illustrious persons in Jainism.
Accordingly, in the sermon of Sūri Dharmaghoṣa:—“[...] in the gift of fearlessness (abhayadāna) there is the avoidance of injury to living things (jīvas) by thought, word, or deed, by doing, causing to be done, or by approving. Jīvas are known to be of two kinds: immovable (sthāvara) and movable (trasa). (see classification of the jīvas) In both of these there are two divisions, depending on whether they have faculties to develop (paryāpti) or not. There are six faculties to develop, which are the cause of development: eating food and digesting it, body, senses, breath, speech, and mind. Creatures that have one sense, two to four, or five senses, have respectively four, five, or six faculties”.
The gift of safety [viz., abhayadāna] is the avoidance of injuring them in three ways: destruction of life, causing physical pain, and mental pain. Whoever gives the gift of safety, gives all the objects of life. If one has life, the fourfold object of existence is gained. What is dearer than life to any creature? Certainly not a kingdom, nor universal sovereignty, nor even Indra-ship of high rank. Fear caused by loss of life is the same to a worm living in impurity on one hand, and to Hari living in heaven on the other hand. Therefore a pious man should by all means be always careful to give the gift of safety desired by the whole world. By making the gift of safety people become charming, long-lived, healthy, with beauty of form, and strong in other births.
Jainism is an Indian religion of Dharma whose doctrine revolves around harmlessness (ahimsa) towards every living being. The two major branches (Digambara and Svetambara) of Jainism stimulate self-control (or, shramana, ‘self-reliance’) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionaryabhayadāna (अभयदान).—n (S) Granting assurance of security or impunity.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishabhayadāna (अभयदान).—n Granting assurance of security or impunity.
Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryAbhayadāna (अभयदान).—giving a promise, assurance, or guarantee of safety or protection (from danger); सर्वप्रदानेष्वभयप्रदानम् (sarvapradāneṣvabhayapradānam) (pradhānam) Pañcatantra (Bombay) 1.29; सर्वतः प्रतिगृह्णीयान्मध्वथाभयदक्षिणाम् (sarvataḥ pratigṛhṇīyānmadhvathābhayadakṣiṇām) Manusmṛti 4.247.
Derivable forms: abhayadānam (अभयदानम्).
Abhayadāna is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms abhaya and dāna (दान). See also (synonyms): abhayadakṣiṇā, abhayapradāna.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryAbhayadāna (अभयदान).—n.
(-naṃ) Assurance of safety or protection. E. abhaya and dāna gift.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English DictionaryAbhayadāna (अभयदान):—[=a-bhaya-dāna] [from a-bhaya] n. giving assurance of safety.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Goldstücker Sanskrit-English DictionaryAbhayadāna (अभयदान):—[tatpurusha compound] n.
(-nam) Assurance of safety or pro-tection. Comp. abhayapradāna. E. abhaya and dāna.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryAbhayadāna (अभयदान):—[abhaya-dāna] (naṃ) 1. n. Assurance of protection. Also abhaya-dakṣiṇā.
[Sanskrit to German]
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusAbhayadāna (ಅಭಯದಾನ):—[noun] an act of assuring or extending security.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Dana, Abhaya, Tana.
Starts with: Abhayadanasara.
Full-text: Abhayapradana, Abhayadakshine, Abhayadakshina, Dana, Atmahita, Dushya, Parahita.
Relevant text
Search found 12 books and stories containing Abhayadana, Abhayadāna, Abhaya-dana, Abhaya-dāna; (plurals include: Abhayadanas, Abhayadānas, danas, dānas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
Part 1 - Generosity of the Dharma < [Chapter XX - The Virtue of Generosity and Generosity of the Dharma]
Nigrodhamiga-jātaka < [Chapter XXVII - The Virtue of Exertion]
Part 1 - What is the virtue of morality (śīlapāramitā) < [Chapter XXIII - The Virtue of Morality]
Bhajana-Rahasya (by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura Mahasaya)
Text 17 < [Chapter 8 - Aṣṭama-yāma-sādhana (Rātri-līlā–prema-bhajana sambhoga)]
Manusmriti with the Commentary of Medhatithi (by Ganganatha Jha)
Verse 4.247 < [Section XIX - Accepting of Gifts]
The Great Chronicle of Buddhas (by Ven. Mingun Sayadaw)
Part 6f - Fifteen Kinds of Conduct and Fivefold Higher Knowledge < [Chapter 7 - On Miscellany]
Part 10a - The method of fulfilling the Perfection of Generosity (Dāna Pāramī) < [Chapter 7 - On Miscellany]
Miscellaneous Notes on Different Aspect of Dāna (generosity) < [Chapter 6 - On Pāramitā]
Tattvartha Sutra (with commentary) (by Vijay K. Jain)
Verse 6.24 - The influx of Tīrthaṅkara name-karma (nāmakarma) < [Chapter 6 - Influx of Karmas]
Metta (by Ācariya Buddharakkhita)